Power Automate v2 schema

Note

The following article applies only to users with paid Power Automate subscriptions.

Power Automate stores desktop flows in Microsoft Dataverse, which lets you securely store and manage data used by business applications.

This functionality enables you to use features like solutions for Application Lifecycle Management (ALM). However, handling data stored in this way may be challenging.

Thus, a new storage schema for desktop flows in Dataverse (v2) is available. It makes working with Dataverse APIs easier and enables future product enhancements with desktop flows. The new storage schema is publicly available along with Power Automate for desktop (v2.29).

Enable the v2 schema

The v2 schema effectively reduces Dataverse database consumption for paid license users. Also, it offloads components of your desktop flows into your Dataverse for Apps File Capacity, which is part of your current subscription.

There's no immediate need to act, although we recommend you to enable future product enhancements. Before enabling the new schema, ensure that users and unattended runtime machines have been updated to the appropriate Power Automate for desktop version.

Power Platform administrators can choose when to enable the v2 storage schema. To enable it, go to the Power Platform Admin Center > Environments > Settings > Product > Features > Enable storage of desktop flow files into v2 schema. This setting applies at the environment level.

Convert desktop flows stored in the v1 schema to the v2 schema by Q1 2024, as then the v1 schema will be deprecated. You need Power Automate for desktop v2.29 or later to author and run desktop flows using environments where the v2 schema is enabled. This requirement ensures desktop flow makers and attended and unattended users can take advantage of the new functionality.

Manage desktop flows in environments with the v2 schema enabled

Power Automate desktop flows currently stored in the v1 schema continues functioning as intended in environments where the v2 schema is enabled. New, modified, and resaved desktop flows are stored in the v2 schema.

If a desktop flow belongs to a solution in a v2-enabled environment, follow these additional steps to ensure the solution package contains all the binaries required for the flow to function correctly.

Roll back converted desktop flows

Power Automate for desktop version 2.29 or later allows organizations that moved ahead with the v2 schema to roll back until the v1 schema becomes deprecated.

You can roll back a desktop flow converted to the v2 schema by resaving the desktop flow to an environment where the PPAC administrator has the feature disabled.

For most scenarios, there's no need to downgrade your version of Power Automate for desktop. However, desktop flows that use v2-related features that aren't supported by the v1 schema can't roll back.

Limitations of v2 schema desktop flows

Desktop flows stored in the v2 schema only function in environments with the v2 schema feature enabled.

V1 schema desktop flows in a managed solution may operate in an environment where the v2 schema is enabled, but first you should resave them into another environment where the v2 schema is enabled.

Then, you can import the updated v2 schema version of the same process to the managed environment where it's intended to run. The active layer can be replaced by the v2 schema version of the automated process.

Scenario	Power Automate for desktop prior to February 2023 release	Power Automate for desktop after to February 2023 release
Can run v1 schema desktop flows in environments with the v2 schema enabled?	Yes	Yes
Can run v2 schema desktop flows in environments with the v2 schema enabled?	No (user notified of error)	Yes
Can run v2 schema desktop flows in environments with the v2 schema disabled?	No (user notified of error)	Yes
Can edit/save v1 desktop flows into v1 schema in environments with the v2 schema disabled?	Yes	Yes
Can edit/save v1 desktop flows into v1 schema in environments with the v2 schema enabled?	Yes	No (flows are upconverted and saved in the v2 schema)
Can edit/save v2 desktop flows into z1 schema in environments with the v2 schema disabled?	No (user notified of error)	Yes (flows are downgraded to and saved in the v1 schema)
Can edit/save v2 desktop flows into v2 schema in environments with the v2 schema enabled?	No (user notified of error)	Yes